Around nine months ago, Luka Dončić’s world turned upside down as the Dallas Mavericks traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers. It’s not always that a potential franchise player is traded away, especially if he’s seen as the cornerstone of their success.
Of course, Dončić returning to play against Dallas is always a big storyline — everyone is looking for a reaction from the 26-year-old.
Lakers’ Luka Dončić Reacts to Playing Against the Dallas Mavericks Again
On Thanksgiving, Dončić and Austin Reaves led the Lakers to a 129-119 victory against the Mavericks. All eyes remained on Dončić and Anthony Davis — who was traded to Dallas for the Slovenian star.
And while Dončić has found his pace in LA, it hasn’t been an easy journey. He has been open about the situation, previously revealing that the trade caught him off guard.
Luka Doncic was asked how tonight’s game vs. the Mavs compared to the emotionally charged matchups of last season:
“I would say it’s a little easier now, but games against Dallas, they always have some special meaning to me. I still have a lot of friends there. It’s fun…It’ll… pic.twitter.com/W2ibLUVmok
— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) November 29, 2025
“I would say it’s a little easier now, but games against Dallas, they always have some special meaning to me. I still have a lot of friends there. It’s fun…It’ll always be special for me,” Dončić told the media.
He scored 35 points and 11 assists, shooting 55.6% from the field and 44.4% from the three-point line. Reaves — who many people think the Mavericks should have traded for — scored a game-high 38 points.
P.J. Washington scored a team-high 22 points for the Mavericks. Fans also noticed that Dončić didn’t stop and interact with Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd.
“Fascinating to watch the absolute lack of interaction between JKidd & Luka before, during, and after games. Absolute crickets,” wrote Ben Rogers of The Ben & Skin Show.
People pointed out that while the former general manager, Nico Harrison, shouldered most of the blame, Kidd shouldn’t be off the hook. Many even highlighted that Dončić isn’t oblivious to what goes around him and has made an active choice to avoid his former coach.
Dončić Threw His Phone When He First Heard of the Mavericks-Lakers Trade
Right after the trade, Dončić spoke with ESPN about his instant reaction. He threw his phone at the wall, cracking it in the process. And while his phone still worked, Dončić’s sadness was evident.
“I was still in shock, like crazy shock. I felt like my heart was broken, honestly,” he admitted after confirming it isn’t April 1.
Later, Dončić refocused, while giving Dallas the credit of being his home for years. That being said, Dončić has certainly settled in with the Lakers, leading the team to a 14-4 win-loss record in the Western Conference.